Retention of an associative behavioral change in Hermissenda

Science. 1978 Sep 29;201(4362):1239-41. doi: 10.1126/science.694512.

Abstract

The nudibranch mollusk Hermissenda crassicornis is normally attracted to a test light. Three days of training consisting of 50 trials per day of light paired with a rotational stimulus led to a significant increase, lasting for days, in the animal's response latency to enter a test light. The group that received light associated with rotation was significantly different from groups subjected to nonassociative control procedures. Modifications of well-known sensory networks may be related to a behavioral change that shares several operational features with associative learning.

Publication types

  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S.

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Association Learning / physiology*
  • Behavior, Animal / physiology
  • Learning / physiology*
  • Light
  • Memory / physiology*
  • Mollusca / physiology*
  • Retention, Psychology / physiology*